Three hours service and reflection Good Friday 29 th March 2024

It rather depends what you’re doing but three hours can seem like a long time. It certainly did many years ago when I was a young ordinand watching the guest preacher in my local church slowly wilt as he (it was a ‘he’ in those long- gone distant days) bravely struggled through nine sermons on the traditional seven words from the cross. Sustained only by a glass of water in pulpit and relieved by no more than a scattering of hymns, a gloomy liturgy and a few prayers, it was really a job for an ecclesiastical Hercules.

It wasn’t any easier for the members of the congregation either as they were literally locked into the church for an hour at a time, with no refreshment of any kind. However, on the change of hour the doors were unlocked, when those who couldn’t bear any more or those who wanted only one hour would be let in and out. I survived the whole experience sustained by youth and a secret toffee.

They were giants in those days and it is unsurprising that our modern age many churches have but an hour of reflection, admittedly often following a march of witness. Pretty well all of us nowadays are suffering from at least mild forms of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Syndrome) brought on by mobile ‘phones, the internet, the manic nature of existence in the twenty-first century and frankly, an increasing sense that all is not well with our world.

Fr. Tom has taken a risk and invited me to lead Christ Church’s Three Hour’s devotions this year. So, with all the liberation that comes from being retired and not having to suffer the consequences of doing things in a new way … I intend that we will have a somewhat different kind of observance.

We will reflect prayerfully, and I hope usefully on the nature of our Lord’s suffering and the consequences of Good Friday as it in turn prepares us for the Gospel ‘Good News’ of the resurrection. We’ll do so with on screen presentations and with music and readings. The choir will sing some anthems, there will be opportunities for the congregation to question and discuss, sharing their thoughts, and of course there’ll be hymns and prayers.

In a reformulation of the service we’ll start at 12noon (after the procession of witness) then at 1pm we’ll take a short break for a soup and roll lunch, and after another hour, at 2pm we’ll take a tea or coffee break. By the time we conclude at 3pm you’ll all be able to leave without feeling faint and hopefully having experienced a thoughtful observance of the pivotal moment in our faith narrative as we await Easter Day itself.

Nicholas